Our Week
After stern chastisement from Jim, I am offering a tiny little update from our tiny little world.
We started the week with Oscar developing a limp. This is a rather notable occasion as it takes a lot to make a Mastiff admit to any trivial, mundane suffering. This was Sunday and after close inspection, I found nothing to indicate why he would be limping, so thought I would keep an eye on him and see how he was in the morning. Monday morning, same hesitant walk, but still no swelling, no fever and he ate. By Monday night, his foot had blown up like a doggie glove filled with too much air. And one particular toe was easily twice the size of the others. I dosed him with 1500mg of cephalexin, forced water down him and made him go to sleep on the bed. He hated that, of course. By this time, he tried hard not to put any weight on his foot, but for a front-heavy Mastiff, even one Oscar's size, this is near impossible. Tuesday morning he went to the vet. And since time is limited these days, Amara went along for the ride as she was due for a check up.
Oscar is the most wonderful, amazing, perfect dog in creation. He was suffering so, could hardly walk, his foot so huge, running a fever, and yet he STILL maintained the most loving, welcoming manner to everyone he encountered at the vet's office. When Dr. Lukert could find no foreign body or cut or reason for what looked like an infection, we decided on x-rays. Fractures can cause fevers, too, so we needed to rule it out. Amara is untrustworthy alone in an exam room, so I stayed with her (little devil these days). I could hear the ooohs and ahhs and the "Oh my god, that dog is huge" as he made his way back to the x-ray machine. They couldn't get him on the table, so coaxed him to put his front half up. Which he did, easily. Then stretched his hurt paw out and did the films. Hurt paw!!! The techs later told me that he never stopped wagging his tail and loved all the attention. One of my proudest moments as a Mastiff Mom. So perfectly behaved, even with strangers, even in a vet's office, even in pain and suffering. He's my baby :) Perfect.
Well, no fracture was found, so we decided to treat him for an infection. As of today, he has improved. The swelling is not entirely gone, but he is putting his full weight down and definitely on the mend. Thank goodness.
And Amara got a clean bill of health, of course. When asked lately how much Amara weighs, I've answered 90 pounds. I had no idea, and after the vet visit, I realize I'm about as good at guessing weights as Jim is. She was 121.5 on Tuesday, at about 9months old. Amara is a social butterfly, which is definitely from her Dad. She has a softness that I recognize as a gift from Chocolate, but her outgoing, enthusiastic reception of all things new is all her Dad, I'm certain. She made me proud, too, even if she wore me out with "gentle, Amara", "drop it, Amara" and "leave it, Amara". She obeys, every time these days, but I get hoarse!
And lastly is my darling Chocolate. The Chocodiva is scheduled to attempt motherhood again sometime over the next few weeks. She looks glorious, healthy and vibrant. This will be Chocolate's second and last litter. The Daddy-to-be is one of my all time favorite Mastiffs on the planet - one of the most gorgeous I've ever seen in real life, too. More importantly, he is the sweetest, sweetest goober. Cross your fingers :-)
We started the week with Oscar developing a limp. This is a rather notable occasion as it takes a lot to make a Mastiff admit to any trivial, mundane suffering. This was Sunday and after close inspection, I found nothing to indicate why he would be limping, so thought I would keep an eye on him and see how he was in the morning. Monday morning, same hesitant walk, but still no swelling, no fever and he ate. By Monday night, his foot had blown up like a doggie glove filled with too much air. And one particular toe was easily twice the size of the others. I dosed him with 1500mg of cephalexin, forced water down him and made him go to sleep on the bed. He hated that, of course. By this time, he tried hard not to put any weight on his foot, but for a front-heavy Mastiff, even one Oscar's size, this is near impossible. Tuesday morning he went to the vet. And since time is limited these days, Amara went along for the ride as she was due for a check up.
Oscar is the most wonderful, amazing, perfect dog in creation. He was suffering so, could hardly walk, his foot so huge, running a fever, and yet he STILL maintained the most loving, welcoming manner to everyone he encountered at the vet's office. When Dr. Lukert could find no foreign body or cut or reason for what looked like an infection, we decided on x-rays. Fractures can cause fevers, too, so we needed to rule it out. Amara is untrustworthy alone in an exam room, so I stayed with her (little devil these days). I could hear the ooohs and ahhs and the "Oh my god, that dog is huge" as he made his way back to the x-ray machine. They couldn't get him on the table, so coaxed him to put his front half up. Which he did, easily. Then stretched his hurt paw out and did the films. Hurt paw!!! The techs later told me that he never stopped wagging his tail and loved all the attention. One of my proudest moments as a Mastiff Mom. So perfectly behaved, even with strangers, even in a vet's office, even in pain and suffering. He's my baby :) Perfect.
Well, no fracture was found, so we decided to treat him for an infection. As of today, he has improved. The swelling is not entirely gone, but he is putting his full weight down and definitely on the mend. Thank goodness.
And Amara got a clean bill of health, of course. When asked lately how much Amara weighs, I've answered 90 pounds. I had no idea, and after the vet visit, I realize I'm about as good at guessing weights as Jim is. She was 121.5 on Tuesday, at about 9months old. Amara is a social butterfly, which is definitely from her Dad. She has a softness that I recognize as a gift from Chocolate, but her outgoing, enthusiastic reception of all things new is all her Dad, I'm certain. She made me proud, too, even if she wore me out with "gentle, Amara", "drop it, Amara" and "leave it, Amara". She obeys, every time these days, but I get hoarse!
And lastly is my darling Chocolate. The Chocodiva is scheduled to attempt motherhood again sometime over the next few weeks. She looks glorious, healthy and vibrant. This will be Chocolate's second and last litter. The Daddy-to-be is one of my all time favorite Mastiffs on the planet - one of the most gorgeous I've ever seen in real life, too. More importantly, he is the sweetest, sweetest goober. Cross your fingers :-)
posted by Jennifer McKemie @ 7:48 PM
